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Summary
Around the World in Eighty Days, Jules Verne's classic 1872 adventure novel, has captivated readers for generations with its tale of gentleman Phileas Fogg's ambitious quest to circumnavigate the globe in just 80 days. Inspired by new technologies like steamships and railways that were shrinking the world, Verne's story follows Fogg and his valet Passepartout as they race against time across continents and oceans, encountering perilous obstacles along the way. The novel has spawned numerous adaptations over the years, most famously the 1956 Academy Award-winning film starring David Niven.
Plot
In Jules Verne's classic adventure novel Around the World in Eighty Days, wealthy English gentleman Phileas Fogg makes a £20,000 wager with his Reform Club friends that he can circumnavigate the globe in just 80 days. Accompanied by his newly hired French valet Passepartout, Fogg sets out from London on October 2, 1872, determined to return by December 21 to win the bet.
The journey takes the pair across Europe, the Mediterranean, the Suez Canal, India, Southeast Asia, China, Japan, and America, employing various modes of transportation including trains, steamships, and even an elephant. Along the way, they encounter numerous obstacles and adventures, including rescuing an Indian woman named Aouda from a funeral pyre. Meanwhile, a detective named Fix pursues Fogg, suspecting him of having robbed the Bank of England.
After a series of close calls and setbacks, Fogg arrives back in London, believing he has lost the wager by five minutes. However, he soon discovers that by traveling eastward around the globe, he has actually gained a day, allowing him to reach the Reform Club just in time to win the bet. The story concludes with Fogg marrying Aouda and splitting his winnings between Passepartout and Fix.
Themes
Adventure and exploration
Race against time
Cultural differences and bridging divides
Technological progress and innovation
Loyalty and friendship
British imperialism and colonialism
Precision and planning versus flexibility and adaptability
Setting
Set in 1872, Around the World in Eighty Days takes place during the height of the Victorian era, a time of rapid technological progress and expanding global connectivity. The story unfolds across several continents and oceans as Phileas Fogg and his valet Passepartout attempt to circumnavigate the globe using innovative modes of transportation, including steamships, railways, and even an elephant.
The journey begins and ends in London, the heart of the British Empire and a symbol of Western civilization. From there, the two adventurers traverse a diverse array of locations, including Egypt, India, Hong Kong, Japan, and the United States. Each setting provides a vivid backdrop for their adventures, highlighting the cultural contrasts and exotic locales of the late 19th-century world.
Verne's depiction of these far-flung destinations reflects both the fascination and misconceptions of his time. While some portrayals may seem stereotypical to modern readers, they capture the sense of wonder and discovery that characterized this era of global exploration.
Characters
Phileas Fogg: The protagonist, a wealthy and precise English gentleman who wagers he can travel around the world in 80 days.
Passepartout: Fogg's newly hired French valet, loyal but sometimes bumbling, who accompanies him on the journey.
Detective Fix: A Scotland Yard detective who pursues Fogg, believing him to be a bank robber.
Aouda: An Indian princess rescued by Fogg and Passepartout who joins them on their journey.
Sir Francis Cromarty: An English general Fogg meets on his travels through India.
John Sullivan: A member of the Reform Club who makes the wager with Fogg.
Andrew Stuart: Another Reform Club member involved in the wager.
Captain Speedy: The captain of the Henrietta, the ship Fogg hires to cross the Atlantic.
Reverend Samuel Wilson: The minister Passepartout visits in London, who informs him of the date error.
Quick facts
Around the World in Eighty Days was first published in 1873 as a serialized story in a French newspaper.
Jules Verne was inspired to write the story after reading a newspaper article about the possibility of traveling around the world in 80 days.
The novel's protagonist, Phileas Fogg, is based on the real-life American adventurer George Francis Train.
Verne never actually traveled around the world himself before writing the book.
The novel helped popularize the idea of global tourism in the late 19th century.
Several real-life attempts to recreate Fogg's journey were made after the book's publication, including by journalists Nellie Bly and Elizabeth Bisland.
Around the World in Eighty Days contains an error in its climax—Fogg wouldn't actually have gained a day traveling eastward as described.
Verne wrote a lesser-known stage adaptation of the novel that premiered in Paris in 1874.
The character of Detective Fix does not appear in Verne's original manuscript and was added later.
Since its debut, Around the World in Eighty Days has been adapted into numerous films, including a 1956 adventure-comedy starring David Niven, as well as TV shows, stage productions, and even amusement park rides.
About the Author
Jules Verne (1828-1905) was a pioneering French author who helped establish the science fiction genre. His most famous works include Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, Journey to the Center of the Earth, and Around the World in Eighty Days. Verne's “Voyages Extraordinaires” series of adventure novels often incorporated emerging technologies and scientific discoveries of the 19th century, earning him a reputation as a “prophet” of future inventions, though Verne himself denied this label.
Verne's writing career took off after meeting publisher Pierre-Jules Hetzel in 1862. Hetzel published Verne's novels serially in his family magazine before releasing them as books, helping make Verne one of the most translated authors in the world. Though immensely popular with readers, Verne struggled to gain acceptance as a serious literary figure in France during his lifetime. It was not until decades after his death that French scholars began to critically reevaluate and elevate Verne's literary status.
